System for varying appearance of a tank top style garment

ABSTRACT

A garment with selectively variable appearance may include a fabric body with a front panel and a back panel joined together only along a seam that extends no higher than a mid-torso point. Strap-attachment rings may be positioned and attached to the front and back panels at locations at which the panels are not joined, above the mid-torso point. One or more sets of straps may be configured for selective attachment to the strap-attachment rings. Any one set of straps may include a first strap configured to pass over a first shoulder of a wearer and a second strap configured to pass over a second shoulder of the wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a system for varying the appearance of a garment such as tank top, dress or swim suit or other garment designed in a tank top style.

Tank top style garments are popular because they can be easily fabricated and can be purchased by a prospective wearer at a relatively low price. However, the simple configuration of tank top style garments results in a similarity of appearance among these garment. In other words, one person's tank top may look like every other person's tank top.

As can be seen, there is a need for a system of producing garments with the simplicity of a tank top while providing a purchaser with an opportunity to vary the appearance of the garment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a garment with selectively variable appearance may comprise a fabric body with a front panel and a back panel joined together only along a seam that extends no higher than a mid-torso point; strap-attachment rings positioned and attached to the front and back panels at locations at which the panels are not joined, above the mid-torso point; and one or more sets of straps configured for selective attachment to the strap-attachment rings, wherein any one set of straps includes a first strap configured to pass over a first shoulder of a wearer and a second strap configured to pass over a second shoulder of the wearer.

In another aspect of the present invention, a garment prepared by a process that may comprise the steps of providing a garment body having front and back panel joined only below a mid-torso point of the garment body; providing a plurality of sets of straps configured for attachment to the front and back panels at positions above the mid-torso point of the garment body; completing a first version of the garment with a first appearance by attaching a first set of the straps to the garment body; and completing a second version of the garment with a second appearance by removing the first set of straps and attaching a second set of the straps to the garment body.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a garment in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the garment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the garment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a plain strap of the garment of FIG. 1

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are plan views of ornamental straps for use on the garment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an ornamental strap in position on the garment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a sleeve-simulation strap for use on the garment of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views of sleeve-simulation straps in position on the garment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a system for providing tank top style garments with interchangeable straps for supporting the garment on a wearer's shoulders.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, it may be seen that an exemplary embodiment of a garment 10, constructed in accordance with the invention, may comprise a fabric garment body 50 that may be constructed to surround a torso of a wearer 12. The garment body 50 may include a front panel 16 and a rear panel 18. Each of the panels 16 and 18 may be produced from a single piece of fabric. The front panel 16 and the rear panel 18 may be joined together with a sewn seam for a distance L that may correspond to a distance from a bottom of the panels 16 and 18 to a mid-torso point just below an armpit of the wearer 12.

Two attachment loops 19 may be formed in the fabric of the front panel 16 in positions that may be about one to about two inches below clavicles of the wearer 12. The rear panel 18 may be configured to have a shape similar to that of the front panel 16. A ring 20 may be positioned in each of the attachment loops 19. The rings 20 may be shaped as a circle, oval, triangle, rectangle, square, or organic shape. The rings 20 may be made of metal, wood, ceramic, stone, or synthetic material.

The garment body 50 may be made usable by the wearer 12 when the wearer attaches one strap 22 between the left hand ones of the rings 20 and another strap 22 between the right-hand ones of the rings 20. In other words, the garment 10 may be considered to be a combination of the garment body 50 and two of the straps 22. Thus, completion of the garment 10 may be made by the wearer 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 11, it may be seen that the garment 10 may be readily made to have varying appearances. The garment 10 may be made to have a very simple appearance through use of a simple strap 22 as shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively the garment 10 may be made to have a more ornate appearance through use of ornamental chain-link straps such as straps 22A, 22B or 22C shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. Also, ornamental multilayer fabric straps such as straps 22D, shown in FIG. 8, may be used to vary the appearance of the garment 10. Indeed, the straps may be made of virtually any type of ribbon, fabric, chain, leather, rope, cord, beads, or any long material that can be cut, sewn and/or tied.

Still further, the appearance of the garment 10 may be varied by employing sleeve-simulation straps 23 as Illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11. The sleeve-simulation strap 23 may comprise a shoulder-covering member 25 and two attachment clips 27. Optionally, the sleeve-simulation strap 23 may include underarm ties 29.

The sleeve-simulation strap 23 may be attached to the body 50 by engaging the clips 27 with the rings 20. Alternatively, the strap 23 may be engaged with the rings 20 by passing a portion of fabric of the strap 23 through the rings 20 as shown in FIG. 10. The underarm ties 29 may be passed under arms of the wearer 12 and then tied to hold the strap 23 in position against the wearer's arm.

Referring now to FIG. 11, it may be seen that a multi-layered sleeve-simulation strap 23A may be employed to achieve still another style appearance for the garment 10.

While a traditional tank top may look the same every time it is worn, the garment 10 provides the wearer 12 with an opportunity to make the garment look different every time it is worn. This variation of appearance may be made by simply changing the straps of the garment to have a different look and style.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment with selectively variable appearance comprising: a fabric body with a front panel and a back panel joined together only along a seam that extends no higher than a mid-torso point; strap-attachment rings positioned and attached to the front and back panels at locations at which the panels are not joined, above the mid-torso point; and one or more sets of straps configured for selective attachment to the strap-attachment rings, wherein any one set of straps includes a first strap configured to pass over a first shoulder of a wearer and a second strap configured to pass over a second shoulder of the wearer.
 2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the body is configured in a tank-top style.
 3. The garment of claim 2 wherein the front panel is provided with attachment loops positioned about one to about 2 inches blow a clavicle of the wearer.
 4. The garment of claim 1 wherein at least one set of the straps has a chain-link configuration.
 5. The garment of claim 1 wherein at least one set of the straps has a multi-layered fabric configuration.
 6. The garment of claim 1 wherein at least one set of the straps has a sleeve-simulation configuration.
 7. The garment of claim 6 wherein the sleeve-simulation straps include underarm ties.
 8. A garment prepared by a process comprising the steps of: providing a garment body having front and back panel joined only below a mid-torso point of the garment body; providing a plurality of sets of straps configured for attachment to the front and back panels at positions above the mid-torso point of the garment body; completing a first version of the garment with a first appearance by attaching a first set of the straps to the garment body; and completing a second version of the garment with a second appearance by removing the first set of straps and attaching a second set of the straps to the garment body.
 9. The garment of claim 8 wherein the step of completing the first version comprises attaching a set of straps having a chain-link configuration.
 10. The garment of claim 9 wherein the step of completing the second version comprises attaching a set of the straps having a sleeve-simulation configuration. 